THE PALEOLIBERAL TICKET
Kerry-Edwards. What do they stand for? Andrew Sullivan fishes for an answer in Kerry's veep-pick speech. It's great to see somebody actually wrestling with Kerry at the level of ideas.

Blogger Mickey Kaus reveals that he plans to vote for Kerry! This is an interesting twist, since Mickey has made his mark recently as a fierce Kerryphobe.

I plan to vote for him because I think a) we need to take a time out from Bush's strident public global terror war in order to prevent it from becoming a damaging, lifelong West vs. Islam clash--in order to "rebrand" America and digest the hard-won gains we've made in Iraq and Afghanistan (if they even remain gains by next January). Plus, b) it would be nice to make some progress on national health care, even if it's only dialectical "try a solution and find out it doesn't work" progress.

I don't agree. About the West vs. Islam clash, Bush has always made it clear that he's not against Islam, and he's convinced a lot of Iraqis, such as blogger The Mesopotamian, who writes:

Hail our true friends, the Great People of the United States of America; The Freedom giving Republic, the nation of Liberators. Never has the world known such a nation, willing to spill the blood of her children and spend the treasure of her land even for the sake of the freedom and well being of erstwhile enemies. The tree of friendship is going to grow and grow and bear fruit as sure as day follows night. And the people deep down at the bottom of their hearts, they appreciate. Make no mistake about that. The people have voted today, the pulse of the street is clear, without any hesitation I would give 90% of all Iraqis are hopeful and supportive of the new government, and this is a tacit indirect yes to the U.S. which has been the prime mover of all these events. This is what the foolish fail to understand. Why is this a different situation from that for example of a Vietnam? The answer is very simple: Because, the U.S. has achieved something very popular around here; which is the removal of the Saddam regime. Those who are really against the U.S. from amongst the Iraqis have been and remain a small minority; all other forms of resentment are simply disappointment and disgruntlement resulting from the discomfiture of the present situation and will simply disappear with progress and gradual improvement.

As for the enemy, he will not reap but failure and the bitter taste of defeat.

Glory and honor to the U.S. and Allied men and women whose blood is irrigating the tree of freedom in this land; and their sacrifices, suffering, and toil is laying the foundation for a future renaissance of the Mesopotamian People. Hail soldiers of freedom and enlightenment. Do not be dismayed by the trouble and turbulence of the present, for the future generations will remember and appreciate.

And last but not least; Hail, Great El Bush, a leader not only of the U.S. but a true hero of mankind. And Hail Mr. Blair and the other Leaders of the Free World.

God Bless the New Republic of Iraq; God Bless America.

Wa Al Salaam Alaykum Wa rahamutu Allahi Wa Barakatuh

(Peace be upon you and the mercy of God and his blessings)

Bush has also pushed for a Palestinian state, and with Sharon's planned pull-out from Gaza, things seem to be moving in the right direction (maybe?!?#@???) I think a Reagan analogy is appropriate here: Reagan's militancy in his first administration put him in a position of strength, from which he was able to turn dove in the second administration and end the Cold War. Bush is already visibly moving towards the same goal.

As for health care, Kaus is apparently in favor of a national health care system. I'm not, because I'm an economist, and to be an economist is to have had markets markets markets pounded into your head so much that there's a certain barrier to accepting the idea of this kind of state-run program (though we can be convinced of the need for all kinds of regulation). But then, who knows: it does seem to be the consensus that US health care is expensive and inequitable. Basically I don't know enough to feel I can form an informed opinion, although it seems that there might be some better middle way. But Bush did take a step towards a national health care of sorts, at least for the elderly: his Medicare plan! I like Kaus but I find his Kerryphobia more convincing than his supporting comments.